Auxiliary hydraulic steering device for vessels.



A. McDOUGALL.

AUXILIARY HYDRAULIC STEERING DEVICE FOR VESSELS. APPLICATION man SEPT-25.1916.

1,243, 197. Patented Oct. 16, 1917.-

IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

- ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL, OF DULUTH, MINNESOTA.

AUXILIARY HYDRAULIC STEERING DEVICE FOR VESSELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application filed September 25, 1916. Serial No. 121,977.

tain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Hydraulic Steering Devices for Vessels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention consists of certain improvements in auxiliary steering devices for vessels and relates particularly to such means for use in connection with vessels such as canalboats and the like and especially is it applicable to large combination canal and sea going vessels when such are required to navigate restricted waters.

Another important use of the device is in providing instantly available auxiliary steering means for a vessel when at sea and in the event of accident to its primary navigating facilities.

The. object is to provide such auxiliary steering means in the simplest manner possible and which being'operative in conjunction with portions of the vessels regular equipment reduces the cost to minimum.

Various combination hydraulic propelling and steering means have been more or less successfully attempted, but as yet have not proven a general success, and when an independent auxiliary hydraulic steering system is installed, it becomes very expensive and practically prohibitive.

In the modern steel cargo vessel there are a number of water ballast tanks of large capacity, usually formed in the bottom ofthe hull of the vessel, besides the customary provision for bilge water. These tanks or compartments are separated by longitudinal and cross bulkheads and each compartment connected to the pumping system of the vessel and it is to this pumping system I connect my improved auxiliary steering device.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a vessel equipped with my improved steering device.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of same showing the customary piping plan, and,

Fig. 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view of the steering valve.

The hull of the vessel comprises the deck 1, bottom 2, sides 33,bow 4 and stern 5.

Within the hull of the vessel and usually from three to five feet above the bottom 2 thereof, is formed a second bottomor tank top 6.

This space between the two bottoms is divided by the longitudinal bulkhead or keel-- son 7 and the thwartship bulkheads 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13, thus forming a plurality of water ballast compartments on either side of the keelson 7. 1

Between the two bulkheads 12 and 13 is the boilerroom and aft of the bulkhead 13 is the engine room. In any convenient location within the engine room is located the water ballast pump 14; which is connected by a suitable pipe 15 to the thwartship manifold pipe 16 and to which latter all of the various tank pipes 17 are connected.

Each of the pipes 17 is provided with suitable hand operated valves (not shown) for controlling the supply of water either to or.

from its respective compartment. The centermost pipe 18 extends beyond the extreme forward bulkhead 8 into the forward compartment and to the vertically disposed cock valve 19. Adjacent the bulkhead 8 and just forward thereof, a short branch pipe 20 is connected to the pipe Band is provided with any convenient .form of gate valve 21, the free end of the pipe 20 terminating in the bottom of the forward compartment for water connection therewith. This valve 21 is provided with a stem 22 or other convenient means of manipulation which is accessible from the. pilot house or upper deck of the hull as the case may require, so that connection with the forward compartment may be shut off when it is desired to operate through the steering valve 19. 1 The valve 19 is shown as being of simpl cock construction with a right angle post 23 through the rotatable plug 24 thereof and which post may be adjusted to establish communication with either lateral branch of flush decked vessel such as a sea going canal boat, the controlling stem 25 might extend through the deck 1 and be controlled therefrom, by a small tiller or other device. I

The cross pipe 28 extends from the valve 19 to and through-the port side of the bow of the vessel and the cross pipe 29 extends from the valve 19 to and through the star board side of the bow.

The power end of the pump 14 which is usually steam may be controlled by a chain or rope operated valve indicated at 30 and the chains or ropes may lead to the pilot house if desired and as indicated by dotted lines 31, where the entire operation with the exception of the closing of communication with the other compartments, may be conducted from the pilot house.

It is evident that instead of such control leading directly to the pilot house, the pilot may signal the engineer for proper manipulation of the pump and valves in his department and control only the bow end of the system from the pilot house.

In Figs. 1 and 2'the customary arrangement of ballast piping and pump as found in the ordinary vessel are shown with the exception only of that portion forward of the forward bulkhead and from which fact the simplicity of the device is readily discernible" and it may be made operative in various ways without departing from the spirit of the invention.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have provided an auxiliary steering means in combination with the customary pumping system in vessels whereby the entire force of the relatively large ballast pump may be utilized in forcing the bow'of the vessel from one side to the other, resulting in an eflicient and practical means for steering the vessel.

The capacity of ballast pumps in such vessels is relatively large, to accommodate one or Copies of this patent may be obtained for more of the compartments at the same time and they are so connected as to enable water being taken from one compartment and forced into another for filling or emptying one or more compartments simultaneously and thus the steering feature of the system may be employed either during the ballasting operation or independently thereof.

While I have illustrated my improved device as applied to a steam barge or vessel, it is evident that the same is applicable to a tow-barge or any vessel equipped with a pumping system and practically all large steel vessels are thus equipped, either for controlling the water in the various ballasting compartments or for caring for the customary bilge water.

Having thus described my invention What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The combination with a navigable vessel having a ballast pump therein, of a pipe communicating with said pump and extending to the forward ballast tank within the vessel, means for opening or closing communication between the pipe and forward tank, a transversely disposed pipe connected to the end of the first mentioned pipe and extending through both sides of the bow, a

valve controlling the connection between the two branches above mentioned and said first mentioned pipe, and means for operating the valve in such manner as to direct the water to either'side of the bow desired, as

and for the purpose desired.

2. The combination with a navigable vessel having a ballast pump therein, of a pipe communicating with said pump and extending to the forward ballast tank within the vessel, means for opening or closing communication between the pipe and forward tank, a transversely disclosed pipe connected to the end of the first mentioned pipe and extending through both sides of the bow, means for controlling the discharge through the transverse pipe in such a manner as to direct the water to either side of the bow desired.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. ALEXANDER MCDOUGALL. Witnesses: ARLA TULLY, WM. A. CooLnY.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

